BMW X5 M

BMW X5 M

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With a snout full of radiators and intercoolers, this twin-turbo brute thumps with 567 hp and grips the road with giant tires on 21-inch wheels. Fireball quick, BMW says it can rip to 60 mph in 4.0 seconds. As a product of BMW’s M division, expect it to brake well and to handle unexpected road divots with an initial whack and absolute confidence. The interior has a performance edge not seen in other X5s, with bolstered front seats and other details reminding you of just how Mmm Mmm good it is. Official Photos and Info – 2015 BMW X5 M

2015 BMW X5 M: Big Price, Big Cojones

Practical and impractical at the same time.

The BMW X5 was not only one of the first true luxury SUVs, it was also one of the first seriously fast SUVs. The first generation was offered with a distinctly sporty naturally aspirated 4.4-liter V-8, later supplemented by a 4.6 and then a 4.8-liter unit. A one-off concept was even built with a 690-hp V-12. Then came the second generation, which received an outright M model powered by a twin-turbocharged V-8. Now BMW is launching the next version of the mega-X5, which is based on the third-generation SUV, alongside its less practical X6 M sibling. The two models, as you’d expect, are identical under the skin.

And that's a good thing. With a twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V-8 rated at 567 horsepower and 553 lb-ft of torque, the X5 M is an even better performer than its predecessor. The sprint from zero to 60 mph takes exactly four seconds, BMW claims, and the ute is governed at the customary 155 mph. Without a governor, we have no doubt this X5 could reach 180 mph or more.

There are no U.S.-market fuel-consumption figures yet, but BMW says the X5 M is 20 percent more efficient than its predecessor on the Euro cycle. Which is an especially good thing, because in the past, an aggressively driven X5 M could send you back to the gas pump for a costly refill in a mere 200 miles or so. Much of the efficiency bump can be attributed to the new eight-speed automatic, which shifts so quickly that it doesn't deserve to be dismissed as a slushbox anymore.

Like the X6 M, the X5 M wears massive 285/35 tires up front and 325/30 rubber in the rear; 21-inch wheels are standard equipment. The front and rear suspension setups have been revised from those of the standard X5, including new geometry, new upper front control arms, and stiffer springs. As is usual in modern M machines, the driver can cycle the shocks, steering, transmission program, and throttle mapping through multiple modes using dedicated buttons for each. The standard all-wheel-drive system’s power distribution is rear-biased, but it can shift from 100 percent in the front to a full 100 percent at the rear as required or deemed advisable by the X5 M's electronic brain. By the way, BMW says that brain leaves “an open door to controlled drifts.” Righteous.

Inside, the X5 M features M-specific bits everywhere, from the steering wheel to the onscreen M Drive menu, and from the multifunctional seats to the logos applied on various bits. The exterior has unique M front and rear styling; including the massive wheels and the characteristic quad exhaust pipes, the whole looks clean, aggressive, and impressive. Fun fact: The M versions are the only X5 and X6 models to share front-end aesthetics.

At $99,650, the X5 M comes in at a premium of about $30,000 over the X5 xDrive50i with its 445-hp twin-turbocharged V-8. That steep jump might be prohibitive if it represented just a gradual improvement. But the X5 M simply plays in a different league, and it packs a ton of unique equipment and bits that are optional on the lesser model. Sure, nobody needs an SUV like this, but we’d be lying if we said we weren’t looking forward to charging hard in this mega M.